The executive team at Idaho Forest Group has deep roots in the forest products industry, dating back to 1973. For over half a century, Idaho Forest Group has been a trusted partner, advisor, and collaborator. It is our mission to hire and develop the best people to ensure our organization only delivers the highest quality products and services.
Executive Team
Todd Brinkmeyer: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Todd has a long history with Idaho Forest Group, dating back to the formation of Riley Creek Lumber in Laclede, Idaho. He spent weekends, holidays, and college summers working at the Laclede mill, which were formative early in Todd’s life. Todd attended college at Washington State University and graduated with a degree in Finance. In 1990, he started as a purchasing agent at the Laclede mill. Over the years, his roles grew and expanded, culminating in the Vice President of Operations.
In 1999, Todd left Riley Creek to form Plummer Forest Products in Plummer, ID. Plummer Forest was the first 100% small log sawmill in Idaho. From there, Todd branched into other investments and operating assets and in 2010, purchased the particleboard plant operation in Post Falls from Potlatch Corp. Todd has been involved in board and consulting roles with Idaho Forest Group over the years.
Jesse Short: President
Jesse’s Idaho Forest Group journey began nearly three decades ago when he moved from Michigan to North Idaho and joined IFG’s Moyie Springs mill as a general laborer on the cleanup crew. Since then, he has worked his way through nearly every level of mill operations, serving as Plant Manager of the Moyie Springs and Lewiston mills, Senior Regional Manager, Director of Idaho Lumber Production, Director of Operations and Chief Operating Officer before becoming President.
Jesse’s leadership is grounded in hard work, curiosity, accountability and a commitment to continuous learning. He believes success is about more than production and performance. It’s about people, customers, communities and the forests that make the industry possible.
Before joining IFG, Jesse considered himself a “tree hugger.” His experience in the forest products industry gave him a deeper appreciation for how responsible forest management and a strong forest products industry can work together to create healthier forests and stronger communities.
Jesse holds an associate degree in residential construction from Delta College in Michigan. Outside of work, he enjoys University of Idaho football and spending time outdoors with his family.
Erol Deren: Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Erol earned a BS in business administration with a minor in economics from Humboldt State University and shortly thereafter began a nearly twenty-year career with Georgia Pacific (GP) where he held 14 different positions, giving him heightened insight into the nuances of the industry and helped him earn the Vice President’s Roundtable Award (2x) and President’s Award. Erol transitioned from GP’s Director of Commodity Lumber to the IFG family of companies where he held various executive leadership roles including President of Distribution and Vice President of Sales & Marketing for IFG parent, Riley Creek.
Since 2009, Erol has served as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Idaho Forest Group where he has been instrumental in leading the IFG sales team to actualize exponential growth; notably, tripling sales volume during his tenure. A trusted advisor and partner to some of North America’s largest retail and commercial building supply organizations, Erol has formed longstanding personal relationships with his customers by consistently helping provide creative solutions to their complex business needs. Erol and his wife of 23 years share three grown children and two grandchildren. In life as in business, Erol is disciplined and he makes a point to stay in shape to support his favorite pastimes, fly fishing, golfing, and hunting.
Kristin Dahlin: Chief Financial Officer
Kristin joined Idaho Forest Group in 2021 as Corporate Controller and was named Chief Financial Officer in 2025. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Idaho and an MBA from Gonzaga University. She is also a Certified Public Accountant.
Kristin began her career in public accounting with Moss Adams, where she specialized in the forest products industry. Over the next 15 years, she built broad experience in natural resources, including both mining and forestry. Prior to joining IFG, she served as Controller at Hecla Mining Company, where she was responsible for accounting and financial management across mines in Idaho and Nevada.
A North Idaho resident for more than 15 years, Kristin and her family are active community members who enjoy boating, camping, skiing, and volunteering with local organizations and youth sports programs.
Marc A. Brinkmeyer: Owner/Founder
Marc Brinkmeyer is the owner and founder of Idaho Forest Group (IFG), one of America’s largest lumber producers. With a capacity of 1.5 billion board feet per year, Idaho Forest Group owns five sawmills in Idaho, as well as a new sawmill in Mississippi. Brinkmeyer is an accomplished business leader, a champion of education and innovation, and a longtime philanthropist.
Born and raised in Iowa, Brinkmeyer graduated from Buena Vista University with a bachelor’s degree in finance. He began his career as a certified public accountant with Arthur Andersen & Company, before becoming CFO for a private forest products company. In 1981, he acquired his first sawmill in Laclede, Idaho, within the Inter-Mountain Forest of the Northern Rockies.
Based in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Forest Group plants and harvests trees that are used in the process of manufacturing and marketing lumber and other wood by-products to customers in the United States and abroad. Over the last 40 years the company has expanded its holdings and is the largest lumber producer in the Inter-Mountain West and is expanding in the US South. The company emphasizes a talented workforce of more than 1,300 employees and 2,500 partner contractors. All the company’s operations are continuously upgraded with advanced technology. IFG also has a strong commitment to conservation, R&D, including development and implementation of new technologies within the wood products and biomass utilization industries, which includes several research initiatives with prominent universities in the USA and Europe.
Brinkmeyer has decades of involvement in industry organizations. He is a past chairman of the Softwood Lumber Board, past chairman of the American Wood Council and current Member of the Bi-National Softwood Lumber Council. He is a member of the Board for the National Wild Turkey Federation and a member of the Boone and Crockett Club.
The Brinkmeyer Family supports many organizations committed to education, the arts and conservation. They contribute generously to various university academic programs and initiatives. Brinkmeyer was distinguished with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Natural Resources by the University of Idaho.
Bryan Riga: President of IFG Technologies
Bryan began his career as part of the engineering project team that built one of IFG’s highly technical sawmills ─ a formative experience that moved Bryan to subsequently work in various roles within IFG mills for nine summers. Bryan went on to graduate with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Idaho’s prestigious engineering program. He brought his experience and education to Silicon Valley where he worked for tech startups and consulted for several Fortune 500 companies in the manufacturing sector.
In 2019, Bryan returned to IFG to lead the Strategy and Innovation team and in 2022 was named President of IFG Technologies, where he spearheads innovative uses for wood residual materials. Bryan can be seen skiing, golfing, boating and biking around beautiful northern Idaho while spending time with his family.
